Japan’s anime industry is in better shape overall, but disparities in pay and working conditions are emerging between studios willing to invest their own money in productions and those unable to take similar financial risks, according to Fujitsu Ryota, programming advisor for the Tokyo International Film Festival’s Animation section.
In an interview with Variety, Fujitsu argued that despite the high level of creativity demonstrated by Japanese animation professionals, their compensation remains inadequate. He also challenged the idea that studios should wait for a successful film to generate profits before improving pay, arguing that companies capable of attracting talented creators in the first place are better positioned to produce successful work.
The comments come as international demand for anime continues to grow, with streaming platforms investing in the medium and theatrical anime releases attracting audiences worldwide. However, Fujitsu believes the benefits of this growth are not being distributed evenly across the industry.
Anime Studios That Invest in Talent May Have an Advantage
Fujitsu described the relationship between anime production budgets, employee compensation and commercial success as a chicken-and-egg problem.
Studios need talented artists and production staff to create compelling work, but attracting experienced professionals requires companies to offer competitive compensation and working conditions. According to Fujitsu, companies that can make those investments are better positioned to produce hits and establish a stronger international presence.
“In other words, it’s not necessarily that a hit film generates profits that are then passed on to the people who made it. Rather, companies that can attract the right people in the first place are better positioned to produce a hit,” Fujitsu told Variety.
He argued that this advantage is connected to a studio’s willingness and ability to commit its own capital to a production and assume greater business risks.
Some companies can make such investments, while others cannot. As a result, differences in financial capacity can contribute to disparities in how well studios compensate their employees and compete for creative talent.
Fujitsu cautioned against treating the issue as a single problem affecting every company in the same way.
“How to bridge that gap depends on how individual companies choose to run their businesses,” he said. “If we simply lump everything together as an ‘industry-wide problem,’ we risk obscuring the specific factors at play.”
His comments suggest that improving compensation across the anime industry requires attention to individual business models and investment decisions, rather than assuming that every studio faces identical challenges.
Tokyo International Film Festival Highlights Commercial and Independent Animation
Fujitsu’s comments came as he discussed the animation programming at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, which brings together Japanese and international animated works with different creative approaches and production backgrounds.
The Japanese selection includes projects from established directors and major studios with commercial track records, alongside independent productions.
Among the Japanese titles discussed are Atsushi Nishigori’s Grotesqqque and Shingo Natsume’s Ghost – End of Night, as well as Kohei Kadowaki’s We Are Aliens and Masanao Kawajiri’s Cherry and Virgin.
The international selection includes Louis Clichy’s Iron Boy, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado’s Forgotten Island, and Walking with Animators, a documentary by Alexandre Poncet and Gilles Penso examining the making of animated films.
For Fujitsu, presenting works with different production backgrounds offers an opportunity to challenge the assumption that commercially oriented animation and experimental filmmaking belong to separate categories.
“I don’t see commercial and experimental works as opposing forces. There is a broad spectrum between the two, and many films fall somewhere along it,” he said.
He explained that some independently produced films may share more creative similarities with commercially backed projects than their production arrangements suggest. Putting these works alongside one another encourages audiences to consider whether the distinction between commercial and experimental animation is as clear-cut as it might appear.
Ultimately, Fujitsu said the festival seeks films with a distinct creative identity that make their creators’ voices visible and offer audiences stimulating experiences.
Streaming Investments Could Make Original Anime Films Harder to Finance
Despite the growing commercial reach of anime, Fujitsu warned that original animated features without established intellectual property could face increasing difficulties securing financing and distribution.
Streaming platforms are investing in anime, while established theatrical franchises continue to attract large audiences. However, this environment could make it more difficult for original films without an existing fan base to compete for funding and commercial opportunities.
Fujitsu acknowledged that this risk is real.
He suggested that efforts to develop original animated films are partly an attempt to prevent the market from becoming overly dependent on established franchises.
Public funding for animated feature films in Japan remains limited, making it particularly difficult to finance original projects. Without established intellectual property or substantial commercial backing, creators may face greater challenges in bringing their films to audiences.
However, Fujitsu pointed to international film festivals, overseas markets and co-productions as potential routes for Japanese animation professionals seeking alternatives to traditional financing arrangements.
More Japanese animated films have appeared at international festivals in recent years. Although festival programming preferences account for part of this trend, Fujitsu also observed that Japanese industry professionals are increasingly interested in international exposure and collaboration.
These opportunities could help original animated features find audiences and partners beyond Japan, even when conventional financing is difficult to secure.
Tokyo Film Festival Turns Its Attention to Women Animation Directors
The festival’s animation programming also includes a focus on women directors, featuring Chika Nagaoka’s Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire, Kotono Watanabe’s Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom, and Ai Yoshimura’s The Rose of Versailles.
Fujitsu said the initiative had been under consideration for some time. Rather than attempting to define what women contribute to animation that was previously absent, the program reflects the growing number of women directing animated works.
Women have directed animation in Japan since the 1980s, but their numbers began to grow during the 2000s, partly as more women joined production teams across the industry.
“There might be a slight paradox here, but we’re focusing on women directors precisely because we’re in a transitional period, moving toward a point where there will no longer be a need to single them out as women directors,” Fujitsu said.
His comments frame the program as a reflection of an industry in transition, with greater representation potentially making it less necessary to distinguish directors by gender in the future.
Tokyo Anime Next Plans New International Anime Award for 2027
Fujitsu is also set to moderate a discussion at TIFFCOM, the Tokyo International Film Festival’s content market, about launching a new international anime award in 2027.
The discussion, organised by Tokyo Anime Next, will explore the significance of establishing an international award led by members of Japan’s animation industry.
Fujitsu said the discussions had focused on creating an award that could inspire creators while introducing audiences to films they might otherwise overlook.
He hopes the initiative will bring people from across the animation business together to celebrate the year’s achievements and give both professionals and fans a stronger sense of recognition.
Fujitsu also emphasised the importance of recognising individual members of production teams rather than focusing exclusively on directors or headline talent.
“Given that an award of this kind has not existed before, I think it could play a significant role, not only by recognizing outstanding works, but also by bringing individual members of the production teams into the spotlight,” he said.
The proposed award could provide another avenue for recognising the people behind animated productions, while encouraging wider discussion about the creative work taking place across the industry.
Anime’s Growth Raises Questions About Who Benefits
Fujitsu’s assessment highlights a central challenge for Japan’s anime industry: expanding international demand does not automatically guarantee better compensation or working conditions for the people producing the animation.
Studios that can invest in talent and assume greater financial risks may be better positioned to attract experienced professionals, create successful projects and expand overseas. Meanwhile, companies with more limited resources can struggle to compete for the same talent.
The challenge extends beyond salaries. Funding for original animated features, access to international markets and opportunities to recognise production staff also influence the industry’s long-term development.
As anime reaches increasingly large audiences worldwide, the question is whether that growth can create sustainable opportunities for creators across different types of studios, rather than primarily benefiting companies already equipped to compete at the highest commercial level. Bookmark Otaku Mantra for more anime news and updates!
